Breech-loading firearm.



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if@ fd N0. 633,949. l Patented Sept. 26, |899. W. V. BLEHA.

BREECH LADNG FIREARM.

- Y(Application med sept. 2, 189e.,

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W. y. BLHA. BBEECH yLOADING FIREABM.

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UNITED STATES ArnNT rtree.

IVILLIAM V. BLHA, OF S'l. LOUIS, .MISSOURL ASSIGNOR OF TlVO-THIRDS TO OTTO F. STIFEL AND GUS'IAV A. PLEUS, OF SAME PLACE.

BREECH-LOADING FIREARM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 633,949, dated September 26, 1899.

Application filed September 2, 1,898. Serial No. 690,103. (No model.)

To (LM whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, XVILLIAM V. BLHA, a citizen of the United States, residing at the cityof St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Firearms, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invent-ion relates to certain improvements in firearms for either military or domestic use, but particularly well adapted for the former on account of the simplicity of action and the speed with which the piece can be loaded and fired.

My improvement comprises a firearm having a breech-block, a hammer to which the breech-block is connected, so as to be lowered by the cocking of the gun to permit the insertion of the cartridge, an ejector or extractor for holding the breech -block in the position to which it is moved by the cocking of the gun until the ejector or extractor is moved by the insertion of the cartridge, and means whereby the breech-block is caused to rise and return automatically to normal position when it is released from the ejector or extractor.

Myinvention consistsin features of novelty hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

Figure I is a detail longitudinal section of my improved firearm. Fig. II is a detail perspective view with part of the frame removed. Fig. III is a detail vertical longitudinal section showing the parts in normal position. Fig. IV is a similar view showing the parts in loading position. Fig. V is a vertical transverse section taken on line Y V, Fig. III, and looking toward the barrel. Fig. VI is a similar view taken on line VI VI, Fig. III, and looking toward the barrel. Fig. VII is a similar view taken on line VII VII, Fig. IV, and looking toward the barrel. Fig. VIII is a similar view taken on line VIII VIII, Fig. III, and looking toward the barrel. Fig. IX is a perspective view of the ejector or extractor. Fig. X is a detail perspective view of the breech-block. Fig. XI is a detail top view of the upper fork of the breech-pin. Fig. XII is an end view of same.

l represents the stock of the gun; 2, the

barrel; 3, the hammer; 4E, the breech-block; 5, the ejector or extractor; G, the firing-pin,

located in the breech block; 7, the trigger,

3, lthis bolt passing also through the cheekplates I4. The forward end of the guardplate is also provided with ears 17, through which the pivot pin or bolt 18 of the ejector 5 passes, this pin or bolt also passing through the fore-block 13 and through the cheekplates. The fore-block has a slot 19 to receive the stem 2O of the ejector. The shape of the ejector is illustrated in Fig. IX.

2l is a spring for forcing the free end of the ejector outwardly when released.

22 is the mainspring of the gun. It rests on the guard-plate 101i, with 011e of its forks ressinCr against the heel of the hammer.' p C) l* (See Fig. II.)

A peculiarity of my invention consists in the fact that by cocking the gun the breechblock is automatically lowered to permit the insertion of the cartridge and when lowered is locked in position by the ejector or extractor. The act of inserting the cartridge pushes the ejector or extractor forward and unlocks the breech-block, which is then automatically raised to firing position, so that but two manual movements are necessary in loading the gun ready to be fired, the Iirst movement being that of cocking the gun and the second that of inserting the cartridge.

The breech-block is held in its elevated position by means of a coil-spring 30, resting on the guard-plate l0 and surrounding a pin 3l depending from the underside of the breechblock, and surrounding also a tubular projection 32, rising from the guard-plate l0 and in which the pin 31 [its and telescopes. It will thus be seen that the breech-block is capable of vertical movement from the position shown in Fig. II to the position shown in IOO Fig. I, and when in the latter position the breech end of the barrel is exposed to reccivc the cartridge. lVhcn the breech block is moved to its lower position, the free end of the ejector is thrown outwardly by the spring 21 and the shoulder of the ejector engages a groove ll in the forward end ot` the breechblock, as shown in Figs. I and III, and holds the breech-block in its lower position. Then the cartridge is inserted, the ejector or extractor is moved forward, by the rim ot' the cartridge engaging it, out of the path of the breech-block, and the breech-block automatically rises under the force of the spring 30.

To cause the breech-block to be lowered by the cooking ot' the hammer, it is provided at its sides with spring-plates 35, fitting in grooves 36 and held therein by screws 37. The free ends of the springs are provided with inwardlyextending projections 35, which when the hammer is down occupy a position against the back of the hammer, as shown in FigVIII, so'that when the hammer is being cocked it presses against these projections and forces the breech-block downwardly to the position shown in Fig. IV, the block being guided vertically in this movement by pins 3S on one of the cheek-plates,

iitting in grooves 3.) in the breech-block.

The back of the hammer is provided with a spring 40, against which the projections 351L on the springs 35 bear, and just before the hammer is fully cocked the projections 35 reach the end of the spring 40 and enter grooves l in the sides of the hammer, thereby becoming released from the hammer, so that when the cartridge is inserted and the breech-block released from the hold of the ejector or extractor the upward movement of the breech-block will not be interfered with by the spring-plates 35, the plates rising, of course, with the breech-blocks, their projections moving through the slots 4l. lVhen the hammeris cocked and the breech-block raised to tiring position, the ends of the projections on the plates 35 bear against the sides of the hammer, and when the hammer moves forward in tiring the gun the projections 0n the spring-plates will ride on the side faces of the hammer until the hammer passes them, when they again spring inwardly to a position beyond the hammer, as shown in Fig. VIII, one of them also being shown in Fig. X. It will thus be seen that the cooking of the hammer will lower the breech-block to permit the insertion of the cartridge, and when the cartridge is inserted the breech-block will be released and will move automatically to closing position, so that the only manual acts required to load and Iire the gun are to cock it, then insert the cartridge, and then pull the trigger.

42 represents a guide-horn on the back of the hammer that works in a groove or slot 43, formed in the frame ll.

44 represents a slide fitting to the upper horn of the frame and which is adapted to be moved to a position over the end of the hammer, as shown in Fig. IV, so that when the hammer is cocked the gun may be made safe against firing. This slide is held in its respective positions by a spring-catch 45, as shown in Figs. III and IV.

I have shown t-he stock of the gun secured to the frame -by means of a bolt 46, passing through the stock and tapped at its front end into the frame. (See Fig. I.)

It will be understood that when the hammer is cocked and the ejector or extractor thrown outwardly by its spring to engage the breech-lock the empty shell will be discharged from the gun.

I claim as my inventionl. A iirearm comprising a depressible breech-block, a hammer, an ejector or extractor, and means whereby the ejector or extractor is engaged with the breech-block to hold the breech-block in its lowered position, until the ejector or extractor is disengaged from the breech-block bythe insertion of the cartridge which returns the ejector, or extractor to normal position; substantially as described.

2. A firearm comprising a hammer,a breechblock, a connection between the hammer and breech-block, an ejector or extractor, means for engaging the ejector or extractor with the breech-block whereby the breech-block is held in its lowered position, and means for automatically raising the breech-block when the ejector or extractor is disengaged from the breech-block by the insertion ofthe cartridge; substantially as described.

3. A firearm comprising a hammer,a breechblock, a connection between the hammer and the breech-block, an ejector or extractor, and means whereby the ejector or extractor is engaged with the breech-block; the breechblock being moved by the hammer and held by the ejector or extractor in the position to which it has been moved, until the ejector or extractor has been moved by the insertion of the cartridge; substantially as described.

4. A firearm comprising a breech-block, a hammer, a connection between the hammer and the breech-block for lowering the latter, a spring-actuated ejector or extractor, means for engaging the ejector or extractor with the breech-block, and a spring for raising the breech-block after it has been released from the ejector or extractor by the insertion of the cartridge; substantially as described.

5. A firearm comprising a breech-block, a hammer, a connection between the hammer and the breech-block, for lowering the latter, a spring for raising and holding the breechblock in its elevated position, a spring-actuated ejector or extractor, and means whereby the ejector or extractor is engaged with the breech-block the cooking of the gun lowering the breech-block, and the ejector or extractor holding the breech-block in the position to which it has been moved until the insertion of a cartridge, when the ejector or IOO extractor will be seated and the brc ch-block willbe automatically raised by its spring; substantially as described.

(5. A iirearm comprisingabarrel, a hammer, a depressible breech-block, means connecting the hammer to the breech-block whereby the breech-block is lowered, by the retraction oi' the hammer, to expose the barrel, and to permit of the insertion ofthe cartridge, an ejector or extractor, means connecting the ejector or extractor with the breech-block whereby the breech-block is held in its lowered position until it is released by theinsertion of the cartridge, and means for automatically returning the breech-block to its normal position when the ejector or extractor is seated; substantially as described.

7. In a firearm, the combination of a springsupported breech-block, a hammer, a connection between the hammer and breech-block, and a spring-actuated ejector havinga shoulder adapted to engage the breech-block when the latter has been moved by the hammer, substantially as set forth.

8. In a firearm, the combination of a springsnpported breech-block, ahammer, a connection between the hammer and the breechblock, and a spring-actuated ejector, said connection consisting of spring-plates having inwardly-extending projections adapted to be engaged by the back of the hammer, substantially as set forth.

Sl. In a firearm, the combination of a springsupported breech-block, a hammer, a connection between the hammer and the breechblocli', and a spring-actuated ejector; said hammer being` provided with a spring at its back and having grooves at the lower end of the spring, and said connection consisting of spring-plates secured to the breech-block and having in wardly-extending projections adapted to be engaged by the back of the hammer, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

IO. In a firearm, the combination of a breech-block, having a downwardly-extending projection on its lower side adapted to enter a tubular projection extending upwardly 'f rom the trigger guard-plate, a spring located between the breech-block and said guardplate, a hammer, a connection between the hammer and the breech-block, and a springaetuated ejector adapted to lock the breechblock when the latter has been moved by the hammer, substantially as set forth.

ll. In a firearm, the combination of a spring-supported breech-block, a hammer, a connection between the hammer and breechblock, a spring-actuated ejector, and means for. guiding the breech-block as it is moved by the hammer, consisting of pins extending inwardly from one of the cheek-plates and fit` ting in grooves formed in the breech-block, substantially as set forth.

WILLIAM V. nLni-IA.

In presence of- E. S. KNIGHT, STANLEY STONER. 

